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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
slow-paced
*If you want spoilers so you can skip this book and go to the third one, scroll down.*
-
Without spoilers, this series is an example of the working of publishers.
A solid story that, yes, could have been a multibranched series like Discworld. However, they forced Lawrence, or Lawrence suggested himself, we'll never know, that this should be a THREE book series, when I 100% believe this would have been fine as a 2 book series.
The other problem lies in with the author's writing style. He tends to focus in on things that are not needed, even from an artistic standpoint.
Did I REALLY need a paragraph how Evar is climbing a bookshelf when he's in the middle of an action sequence? Not really.
The only reason I'm committed to this series and will finish it to the end is the worldbuilding is unique and I'm emotionally invested in a smut scene between Arpix and Clovis, but they're probably cannon fodder for Livira and Evar, while they are fine and even though Evar is white bread and Livira is laced with Coke, I rather had the series focus on Arpix/Clovis...Probably F to my OTP....I swear, every time I declare an OTP in my head, they die lol
I'm not going to lie, I got the Locked Library of the last book, and probably will never find the second book for it (I got lucky and snagged the first at a used book store), I'll be ok. This series is a mind fuck for the average Booktoker. But, for the average person who reads hundreds of books, this series does make you stop and think a lot.
Is free information really the best thing? Is barring it more beneficial to civilization? Should we barter between the two? Is there other options? How are emotions defined between spaces and times?
SPEAKING of emotions: That reminds me...The *lie* is probably the most stupidest thing about this book and why it's 2.5 stars. Celcha KNOWS it was Starval and Mayland that gave Hellit the info to commit mass genocide, yet she pins it on a couple because they're right in front of her? Cmon. Get real.
Honestly, if you want to skip this book and just go to third book, do that, I'll put in spoilers what you need to know in short:
Introduce new species. Ganar = Golden furry automaton like beings? It's sorta vague what they are.
Essentially they are from the moon of Atmast and were enslaved by canith and human alike.
It's implied so far that they created the first library.
Celcha and Hellite are ganar that commit mass genocide because info given by Mayland and Starval from a past world. For some reason, Celcha pins the murder on Livira and Evar , Kinda the reason this book got 2.5 stars, pinning women as hysterics, clever, Lawrence... Even though she knew about Mayland and Starval and their contribution to this.
Livira/Evar are reunited. Arpix/Clovis becomes a thing. Salmonda and Wentworth are thick as thieves and apparently the cat is an assistant for X amount of years. Wentworth also has the ability to become BIG...but not really? Eh.
The former King and his soldiers are doing creepypasta and having their own cannibalistic society in one of the halls of the Library after the burning of Crath. The reason the genocide of the cannith family happened was Yute led the royal court through the Exchange when the burning happen and they exacted their revenge in the past in Clovis childhood. They then started eating people.
Also Yute's daughter has been alive this whole time.
There's 3 paths to choose from supposedly.
Irad and Jaspeth have an ongoing wager who is right.
1. Side with Irad, to continue the library.
2. Side with Jaspeth, to destroy the library.
3. Side with Yute, the fallen angel of Irad who wants to compromise but they show repeat images why that failed.
Also, Arpix and human gang is being held hostage by creepypasta. Clovis and Evar tries to rescue them, Evar gets shot and is on his deathbed when Celcha walks into town and only realizes now for some reason, that Evar and Livira were ignorant and Mayland and Starval were the culprits.
Mayland forces Evar's dying body into 2. Pushing the rest of the cannith family (Kerrol chooses side 3.) into it as well.
For some reason, Mayland didn't want Livira to come with Evar, convinced she's too dumb for this and forces her out of option 2. Ony Kerrol chooses Option 3.
Everyone else chooses Option 1.
Also, Celcha and Hellit are finally ghosts and now Hellit wants to find his body again.
WHILE ALL THAT SHIT IS HAPPENING
Lord Algar, the dick that hated Livira because he's white, discovers Livira's book that she had been writing has broken the space time continum and forces cracks in the library. He asks hostage Arpix to explain the book, and that's where we are left off.
Save your money, just read the spoilers and go for book 3.
2.5/5
-
Without spoilers, this series is an example of the working of publishers.
A solid story that, yes, could have been a multibranched series like Discworld. However, they forced Lawrence, or Lawrence suggested himself, we'll never know, that this should be a THREE book series, when I 100% believe this would have been fine as a 2 book series.
The other problem lies in with the author's writing style. He tends to focus in on things that are not needed, even from an artistic standpoint.
Did I REALLY need a paragraph how Evar is climbing a bookshelf when he's in the middle of an action sequence? Not really.
The only reason I'm committed to this series and will finish it to the end is the worldbuilding is unique and I'm emotionally invested in a smut scene between
I'm not going to lie, I got the Locked Library of the last book, and probably will never find the second book for it (I got lucky and snagged the first at a used book store), I'll be ok. This series is a mind fuck for the average Booktoker. But, for the average person who reads hundreds of books, this series does make you stop and think a lot.
Is free information really the best thing? Is barring it more beneficial to civilization? Should we barter between the two? Is there other options? How are emotions defined between spaces and times?
SPEAKING of emotions:
Honestly, if you want to skip this book and just go to third book, do that, I'll put in spoilers what you need to know in short:
Introduce new species. Ganar = Golden furry automaton like beings? It's sorta vague what they are.
Essentially they are from the moon of Atmast and were enslaved by canith and human alike.
It's implied so far that they created the first library.
Celcha and Hellite are ganar that commit mass genocide because info given by Mayland and Starval from a past world. For some reason, Celcha pins the murder on Livira and Evar , Kinda the reason this book got 2.5 stars, pinning women as hysterics, clever, Lawrence... Even though she knew about Mayland and Starval and their contribution to this.
Livira/Evar are reunited. Arpix/Clovis becomes a thing. Salmonda and Wentworth are thick as thieves and apparently the cat is an assistant for X amount of years. Wentworth also has the ability to become BIG...but not really? Eh.
The former King and his soldiers are doing creepypasta and having their own cannibalistic society in one of the halls of the Library after the burning of Crath. The reason the genocide of the cannith family happened was Yute led the royal court through the Exchange when the burning happen and they exacted their revenge in the past in Clovis childhood. They then started eating people.
Also Yute's daughter has been alive this whole time.
There's 3 paths to choose from supposedly.
Irad and Jaspeth have an ongoing wager who is right.
1. Side with Irad, to continue the library.
2. Side with Jaspeth, to destroy the library.
3. Side with Yute, the fallen angel of Irad who wants to compromise but they show repeat images why that failed.
Also, Arpix and human gang is being held hostage by creepypasta. Clovis and Evar tries to rescue them, Evar gets shot and is on his deathbed when Celcha walks into town and only realizes now for some reason, that Evar and Livira were ignorant and Mayland and Starval were the culprits.
Mayland forces Evar's dying body into 2. Pushing the rest of the cannith family (Kerrol chooses side 3.) into it as well.
For some reason, Mayland didn't want Livira to come with Evar, convinced she's too dumb for this and forces her out of option 2. Ony Kerrol chooses Option 3.
Everyone else chooses Option 1.
Also, Celcha and Hellit are finally ghosts and now Hellit wants to find his body again.
WHILE ALL THAT SHIT IS HAPPENING
Lord Algar, the dick that hated Livira because he's white, discovers Livira's book that she had been writing has broken the space time continum and forces cracks in the library. He asks hostage Arpix to explain the book, and that's where we are left off.
Save your money, just read the spoilers and go for book 3.
2.5/5
Content Warnings
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
3.5 stars rounded up.
The best way to describe this book is that it is undeniably a middle book in a trilogy. Lacking the awe and wonder experienced when first exploring the world whilst offering little in the way of explanations and resolution. It is not a bad thing, but it is a well known problem with sequels. They don't often live up to their predecessors and set up the third or final installment to redeem itself and offer a great ending to the series.
Lawrence's writing is spectacular, as always. He has such a love for literature an you can see that in his stories. I particularly like the quotes and excerpts from books, both real and embellished, at the beginning of each chapter. They serve as wonderful introductions to the issues that will be faced in the coming chapter and help to shine light on the author's intentions for each new chapter. In addition to the writing are the characters. They're not all likeable, but they all feel authentic and organic.
The story itself allows some pieces to fall into place that had been eluded to in the first book and lays the groundwork for the final book. I spent a good chunk of the first half of the book confused. Saying this book "plays with time" is an understatement. Lawrence uses these different timelines as a tool to further the overarching plotlines whilst allowing separate stories to take place in their own times. However, I will say that in the second half, the pieces fall into place like a well made puzzle and much of the mist of confusion is burned away.
In the end, though I wasn't blown away by this sequel I was happy to have read it and to return to the world of the Library. Much in the way that the House in Piranesi is a mystery that is never fully explained and leaves the reader with more questions than answers, the Library is an enigma that has me begging for more. I will certainly continue on in the series and finish it out. I am hoping for another quick release from Mr. Lawrence and to discover the fate of the Library.
The best way to describe this book is that it is undeniably a middle book in a trilogy. Lacking the awe and wonder experienced when first exploring the world whilst offering little in the way of explanations and resolution. It is not a bad thing, but it is a well known problem with sequels. They don't often live up to their predecessors and set up the third or final installment to redeem itself and offer a great ending to the series.
Lawrence's writing is spectacular, as always. He has such a love for literature an you can see that in his stories. I particularly like the quotes and excerpts from books, both real and embellished, at the beginning of each chapter. They serve as wonderful introductions to the issues that will be faced in the coming chapter and help to shine light on the author's intentions for each new chapter. In addition to the writing are the characters. They're not all likeable, but they all feel authentic and organic.
The story itself allows some pieces to fall into place that had been eluded to in the first book and lays the groundwork for the final book. I spent a good chunk of the first half of the book confused. Saying this book "plays with time" is an understatement. Lawrence uses these different timelines as a tool to further the overarching plotlines whilst allowing separate stories to take place in their own times. However, I will say that in the second half, the pieces fall into place like a well made puzzle and much of the mist of confusion is burned away.
In the end, though I wasn't blown away by this sequel I was happy to have read it and to return to the world of the Library. Much in the way that the House in Piranesi is a mystery that is never fully explained and leaves the reader with more questions than answers, the Library is an enigma that has me begging for more. I will certainly continue on in the series and finish it out. I am hoping for another quick release from Mr. Lawrence and to discover the fate of the Library.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The 1st book is one of my literal favorite reads ever.
This book...
You can tell was written in a year.
If feels so unnecessary WITH painfully surface level writing.
This second book feels like it tarnished the trilogy.
This book...
You can tell was written in a year.
If feels so unnecessary WITH painfully surface level writing.
This second book feels like it tarnished the trilogy.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated